4 Tips for Picking a Smartphone That Meets Your Needs

Trying to decide which phone to buy can feel like an exhausting process these days. There are so many phones in the marketplace that you may experience analysis paralysis. There’s great news, though: Any phone you buy these days should satisfy all your needs. All you must do is determine precisely what those needs are. Here are four tips for picking a smartphone that meets your needs.

Pick Your Ecosystem

In the early days of smartphones, the iPhone set the pace in the industry. Its revolutionary features such as touch typing, swiping, and video conferencing were lightyears ahead of the competition. Once Google entered the smartphone industry with their Android ecosystem, the situation grew more complex.

Now, you must decide which operating software suits your needs. Generally, the best choice is to stay with what you already have to avoid purchasing new apps. If you already have an Android phone, buy another one with the same OS. If you’ve previously purchased iPhones, you should stick with them. If you’ve never purchased a smartphone before, don’t worry. A third of Americans are in this situation. You’ll have more options since you’re not committed to an ecosystem yet.

Choose Your Carrier

Before you pick your phone, think about how you’re likely to use it. Will you be making a lot of calls? Are any of those calls international? Do you text more than you talk on the phone? How much will you use the internet for broadband-intensive services such as streaming live video.

Even if you don’t use services such as Netflix and Vudu on your phone yet, you should allow for the possibility that you might in the future. Mobile data usage increased 59 percent year over year primarily due to the increase in bandwidth needs for streaming video.

Why does this matter? Some carriers have stricter bandwidth limits than others. One service might entitle you to more texts and international calls than another, while the third provides the most bandwidth for video consumption. Prioritize your needs and then find the carrier that will provide you the best monthly rate. Once you know where you’ll pay your monthly bills, that company’s smartphone selection identifies your choices for your new device.

Splurge for the Phone

Even though basic devices will satisfy most of your needs, don’t fixate on the price tag when you choose. Many new smartphones offer improved features that you don’t even realize you want until you have them. The latest products from industry leaders, like the Samsung Galaxy S6, include amazing screen quality, comfortable design, and easy typing.

The last thing you want to do when you spend hundreds of dollars on a phone is have it aggravate you. Companies know which of their devices are better. They price those units based on their quality. You’re going to spend hundreds of hours with your phone. Think about larger price tags in terms of costing less than a dollar per hour of usage. In those terms, a more expensive phone is worth the extra money if you like it more.

Test It Out

Since it’s such an important investment, take the time to test your phone in the store. You may feel the temptation to buy one online due to its price. Even if you’re considering that, however, you should still find a local retailer in your area that carries the product. They’ll have a trial unit activated that you can use as if it were your own.

Take the same steps as above. Think about how you’ll use your phone then try everything on your list. Make sure that there are no issues with anything of it. Even a seemingly insignificant factor such as hand comfort becomes a major issue after hundreds of hours of use. If you question the phone’s responsiveness, its screen quality, or its selfie clarity now, it won’t get better over time. Once you’ve picked your favorite in the store, it’s a simple matter of finding the price you like on the product and the contract after that.

Finding the right smartphone is one of the most important decisions in your everyday life. Your ability to pick wisely will provide you with countless hours of enjoyment. Simply follow the steps above to find the perfect device to satisfy all your needs.